Bononcini (or Buononcini) (lived 17th-18th centuries)

Italian family of musicians. Giovanni Maria Bononcini (1642-1678) was a pupil of Bendinelli, and maestro di cappella of Modena Cathedral. He wrote a treatise, Musico prattico (1673) and cantatas, sonatas, and suites.

His son, Giovanni (1670-1747), was a pupil of Giovanni Colonna and of his father, and maestro di cappella at San Giovanni in Monte at Modena. He produced his first opera in Rome in 1692. He lived in Vienna 1698-1711, in Italy 1711-20, in London, 1720-32 (where he had more success than Handel), and later in France and Vienna. He wrote the operas Tullo Ostilio (1694), Il trionfo di Camilla (1696), Xerse, Endimione (1706), Astarto (1715), Crispo, Erminia (1719), Farnace, Calfurnia (1724), Astianatte, Griselda (1733), and many others, including an act in Muzio Scevola with Handel and Amadei; seven oratorios; funeral anthem for Marlborough; music for the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle; Masses, Te Deum, psalms, Laudate pueri; and chamber cantatas and duets.

Antonio Maria (1677-1726) was the second son of Giovanni. He became maestro di cappella to the Duke of Modena in 1721. He wrote about 20 operas and oratorios.